IWK CEO leaving to 'pursue other opportunities'

CEO Tracy Kitch came under fire in June for using her corporate credit card for personal spending

Former IWK CEO Tracy Kitch, who reimbursed thousands of dollars of expenses the hospital says were mistakenly charged to her corporate credit card, is leaving the organization. (Career Women Interaction)

In a statement Wednesday night from Karen Hutt, current chair of the IWK board of directors, she said Kitch would be leaving "to pursue other opportunities."

IWK not available for comment on Wednesday

"We wish her well in her future endeavours. The process to search for a new CEO will be underway shortly," the email reads.

A spokesperson for the IWK said no one would be available to speak with media on Wednesday evening. It's unclear what prompted Kitch's departure.

CBC News filed subsequent freedom of information requests about hospital expenses following the stories earlier this summer. Hospital administration advised that they did not have the requested documents because in June "the IWK board initiated an independent third party review of CEO expenses."

Terms of severance

According to Kitch's contract, a copy of which CBC received through a freedom of information request, her voluntary resignation could entitle her to severance equal to as much as six months of pay and benefits.

Kitch, who was hired in August 2014, earned $280,000 a year.

The email from Hutt said that Dr. Krista Jangaard, the IWK's vice-president of medicine and academic affairs, will serve as interim CEO effective immediately.​​